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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · pitch · board · bound · fan · cap · fork · lie

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. cap — a hat
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cap — a lid
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. board — to get on
  14. cap — of ice
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — a committee
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com